


Back to Phil's Future

by epeeblade



Series: Time Travelin' Clint [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Cliche, M/M, Time Travel, Trope Bingo Round 2, disco fever, teenage!Phil Coulson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-03
Updated: 2013-08-03
Packaged: 2017-12-22 06:11:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/909846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/epeeblade/pseuds/epeeblade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Hydra agents go back in time to kill Agent Coulson, it's up to Hawkeye to stop them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Back to Phil's Future

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the "Time Travel" square on my Trope Bingo card. 
> 
> Thanks to Lapillus for the quick look over!

Clint Barton opened his eyes and it was 1979. He double checked that he wasn't naked. The guys in R & D couldn't exactly be sure he'd be able to take inorganic material with him. Just in case, he'd had safe houses and codes from the time period memorized.

But it looked like he'd lucked out. Clint had not only arrived safely, he'd had all of his gear with him. Good. That would make this a bit easier.

Time to find his destination. With any luck, he hadn't been dropped off too far. 

Clint parted the branches of some concealing bushes to reveal that he was just outside of Memorial West High School. It also gave him perfect view of two Hydra agents standing guard. Fuck. He hadn't beaten them here, then. He had one shot at this otherwise there would be no home to go back to.

Phil would have been dead for over thirty years.

He pulled out two arrows and made quick work of both of the Hydra agents, neither of them so much as twitched before Clint put them down. Clint could not even contemplate a world without Phil in it. His definitely was not thinking that at this moment in Iowa, an 8-year-old Clint Barton was being led into an orphanage. Clint was also not thinking about how there would be no one to recruit a 19-year-old Clint Barton into SHIELD instead of dispatching him.

That was why he would not fail.

He darted across the grass and knelt by the fallen Hydra bastards. Time to find out if the beacons R & D had given him would work. Clint pressed two tiny discs – hardly bigger than his thumb – to each of their foreheads. The bodies glimmered and disappeared.

Sweet. Two down. Ten to go.

The flickering lights coming from the high school drew his attention. Clint's job was to get in, get the goons, and send them back to the future, hopefully without disrupting Phil's prom. He strapped his spare quiver to his thigh and double checked the weapons he had strapped on his body. Time to start the party.

***  


High schools in the seventies didn't have metal detectors or security cameras. Despite how easy that made Clint's job, that meant Phil and his classmates were sitting ducks. He also didn't have a quick way to break in and assess the situation, which he would have if there had been a security command center.

Instead the school relied on a combination of an old lady at the front doors checking tickets and a few rent-a-cops. Seriously?

He'd climbed a tree nearby to get a better view. There were a few kids under the bleachers probably high judging from the smoke snaking between the floorboards. Another couple was making out behind some cars in the lot. And there were two more Hydra goons working lookout at one of the exits. Bingo.

Clint took them out from his perch then slid down to slap on the beacons. The bodies dissipated with a hiss. It was time to go inside. 

The doors were unlocked, but he didn't know if Hydra had done that, or if they'd been left open by the students who'd escaped to the bleachers. Clint tucked his bow over his shoulder and removed the smaller crossbow from its thigh holster. It was much better for close quarters, and he had no illusions about what he was walking in to.

He stepped onto lime green linoleum flooring under florescent lighting that flickered and buzzed. At least he'd be spared any wood paneling. The hallways closed in and Clint itched to get into the ventilation, but he was pretty sure that even he couldn't squeeze into those narrow vents. He'd have better luck hiding behind the doors of one of the metal lockers that seemed to go on forever.

You know, it was probably a good thing he'd skipped out on high school. This place looked like it blew.

Voices carried down the hall and he slipped into a doorway for cover. Turned out he was lucky.

"Phil, where are you going? You promised me punch!"

"I know, I will, I mean. Did you see those squares in the gym? They don't belong here."

"So tell Mrs. Holly. She'd be more than happy to throw them out. Come on, we're missing Night Fever." The girl's voice trailed off into a high pitched whine.

Clint grinned. Of course Phil would be checking out something suspicious. Even at seventeen he was already the perfect secret agent. Before he could move from his cover, heavy footsteps came down the hall. 

"Philip Coulson. You are coming with us."

"Not on my watch, kids." Clint moved, getting off one bolt as he jumped out of the doorway. He flipped in midair to avoid the gunshots coming his way and got off a second bolt. By the time he landed, both of the Hydra goons were on the ground, moaning.

And he got his first look at teen Phil who was wearing a powder blue tux. Wide blue eyes met his, and Clint couldn't help grinning at the familiar face, no matter how young.

"Come with me if you want to live." Clint held out his hand. He'd always wanted to say that.

The girl behind Phil, dressed in some Cher inspired monstrosity, swayed before her eyes rolled up in her head. She sank to the ground with a moan.

"Did she seriously just faint?" Clint pulled out two more beacons and took care of this pair of agents. She hadn't even seen the goons disappear!

Phil had crouched to his knees and slapped the girl gently across the face. His mouth dropped as the dissolving effect started. "Who are you?"

Clint jimmied open the door of a classroom while he debated what to tell Phil. If he gave him his real name, Phil might remember it in the future, but then again, that might not be a bad thing. "Call me Clint. Come on, let's get her in here."

"What?" Phil didn't shy away in lifting the girl's legs while Clint took her under the armpits. 

She was heavier than she looked. Clint grunted as he put her down behind the teacher's desk. "We have to move."

"What about Carrie?" 

"Your prom date's name is Carrie?" Clint snickered and Phil glowered at him, the expression so familiar it made his chest hurt. "She'll be safe here. It's not her they want. C'mon, kid. Let's get to high ground."

Clint checked the hallway. Clear. He gestured with his head and Phil followed him. Hopefully the stairwells had roof access. He pushed the door to one open and paused to listen. The sound of music from the gym could be heard faintly even from here. "Up."

"You still haven't explained who you are or who they are. And why they want me. Does this have something to do with my dad?" Phil's voice followed in a whisper.

His dad? Clint remembered seeing pics of an older man in Army green, but Phil never really talked about his father. He frowned. Then something occurred to him and Clint turned. "Remember issue 326 of Captain America?"

"Which run?" 

"Second volume, came out in the sixties." 

Phil's brow furrowed for a moment as he thought. "The one where Cap travels to the future to help American soldiers in Vietnam?"

"Yeah. It's kinda like that, only in reverse." It made sense in his head when Clint had thought it up. "Only Cap wasn't available, so you got me."

"Okay," Phil said slowly. "You know, there's a payphone down the hall. I'm just going to go call my dad and…"

Clint grasped Phil's arm, knowing he was close to bolting. "Look, kid, this isn't a game. I am from the future. I know you, Philip James Coulson. I knew that you'd get the Captain America reference. I also know that your grandfather gave you your first trading card – and that you bought the Captain Rogers doll yourself and keep it under your bed."

"It's an action figure." Phi's cheeks turned a fetching shade of red. "Okay, so let's say I believe you're from the future. How do I know I can trust you?"

"What, you're thinking I'm only pretending to be your friend to trick you? Not a bad plan, actually." Clint winked. He couldn't help it. Even as a teen, his Phil was super paranoid. "But the Phil Coulson I know has great instincts. What does your gut tell you, kid?"

The flush never retreated from Phil's cheeks. "My gut says stop calling me 'kid.' And we can get to the roof via the locker rooms in the gym. Follow me."

***

Clint found it hysterical that even now he was following Phil's lead. Phil was a baby. Clint wanted to pinch his cheeks. He was still letting Phil guide them through the hallways to the locker rooms and up the ladders inside of them.

The music was louder this close to the gym. He cringed at the sounds of 'Stayin' Alive.' "I don't envy you the John Tavolta experience."

Phil looked up from the rungs below Clint. "What?"

"Trust me. You'll have to deal with his come backs for the next three decades."

"So you're from thirty years in the future?"

Clint bit his tongue. He owed Tony of all people twenty bucks. They'd all taken bets on how long Clint could keep his mouth shut about the future. "Didn't say that. Could be a hundred years for all you know."

"But you know me, right? So you can't be from a hundred years in the future." Phil sounded disgruntled. It was such a pleasure hearing the emotion in his voice. Clint had gotten used to Phil snapping into Agent Coulson mode whenever he didn't want to give anything away. "Why are those guys after me? Did I do something bad?" Phil's voice trembled.

"Aw, kid." Clint looked down. "Let's just say you do something good. Lots of good somethings. And the bad guys don't like that."

They came to the trapdoor and Clint motioned for quiet. He popped it and scanned the roof for hostiles. Once he was sure it was clear, he pulled himself up and out, Phil on his heels. They needed to find a good vantage point that was secure. Lucky there weren't any taller buildings around them.

Clint spotted an HVAC unit that would give them good coverage. He pulled an arrow and nocked it. "Stay behind me."

He was so focused on making sure the area behind the unit was secure, he nearly didn't notice the Hydra agent coming up behind them. Clint whirled, but his shot went wild when the guy sucker punched him. 

"Hail Hydra!"

Clint swung his bow. This tight, he didn't have room to draw. He clubbed the guy across the face and the goon went down hard. "We're about to have company kid. Get down and stay down."

He did some quick math. Two down outside, two at the entrance, and two in the hall. After this guy he could expect five more agents. Clint drew five arrows and notched them.

"I want to help."

"Christ, even teen you is stubborn. Unless you can shoot a Glock, get on the ground now!"

Then Clint didn't have any more time for words. The five Hydrans all approached at once. Clint released, getting all but one, who he only clipped in the arm. It took Clint less than a second to reload and take down the last guy. 

When he whirled around to check on Phil, he was gone. "Phil!"

"Do you want your little agent to die?" 

Clint felt the hackles rise on the back of his neck. There were supposed to be only twelve agents. He turned and faced lucky number thirteen, who held Phil at gunpoint. 

"Don't even touch your bow." The gun was shoved further against Phil's neck. 

"Wasn't planning on it." Clint raised his hands in the air. As he did so, he flicked his wrist and engaged the emergency crossbow bracelet that Tony had built for him. It only had one bolt, but that's all that Clint needed.

It hit the guy in the eyeball and he crumbled to the ground. Clint got busy slapping the bodies with beacons, glad he'd brought extra. He looked up to see a still shaking Phil staring down at the Hydra agent.

"Are you some kind of superhero?" Phil asked, staring at Clint with wide-eyes.

"Superheroes don't kill people." Clint tore his gaze away as he got the last goon who dissolved into bits of light. It was an argument he'd frequently had with his Phil. Clint had been SHIELD's assassin for fifteen years. A few years in an Avengers uniform didn't mean squat.

"Maybe they do when there's no other choice." Phil rubbed his neck. "If I thought otherwise I wouldn't be joining the Army."

Clint stiffened. "ROTC right? At Columbia?"

Phil laughed. "I hadn't decided on where yet."

He'd done it again. Clint shook his head. Now he owed Nat twenty bucks. This was, assuming, he was honest about the mission. "Come on. I want to see you safely back to your prom and sweep the area for any leftovers."

"Wait, you're leaving?" Phil stepped closer.

"It was a small group of bad guys who went through the portal. We had a brief time to plan due to the dilation effect." Clint knew he was parroting Banner just to prolong the moment. He was going to miss little Phil. "So I know if I got 'em all that no one else will be after you. They'll destroy the portal once I get home."

Phil's cheeks grew pink. "Maybe you might want to stay a few days. Just to be sure. I mean. That last one surprised you, right? There might be more of them. And it doesn't really matter when you go back? It's time travel. You'll show up right when you left."

Clint just had to ruffle the kid's hair. There was so much more of it than on his Phil's head. Also it was either that or kiss him, and Clint really didn't go for jailbait. "Okay, kid. Just to be sure."

***

It was a relief when the light around Clint faded and he found himself back in 2014. The rest of the Avengers were there, as were the SHIELD R & D guys who'd rigged up the beacon devices. Clint pointed at them. "There were thirteen. Not twelve. Thirteen, damn it."

Jones had gone white. "We'd only counted twelve heat signatures."

"You're just lucky I got them all."

"I believe I'm the lucky one." Phil came out from wherever he'd been hiding, flanked by Nat and Steve. 

"So, spill, Hawkeye, just how much did you clue Agent in about the future." Tony had his faceplate up.

Clint just smirked. "Why don't you ask him?"

Phil straightened his suit. "Agent Barton was the consummate professional in the field."

"I bet."

Clint followed Phil out to 'debrief' and it wasn't until they reached the secured corridor of the Hydra base that Clint dug into his pocket and pulled out the extra set of Captain America cards that he was able to obtain in 1979. It was the set Phil had seen at a convention as a teen and had never been able to afford. "Is this what you're looking for?"

Phil turned, took Clint by the lapels and pushed him against the wall before leaning in for a punishing kiss. "You have no idea."

Clint laughed. He'd restrained himself while in the past. Didn't want to confuse baby Phil too much. "Miss me?"

"You know, I first started questioning my sexuality when a stranger from the future popped up in my life. Do you know what that uniform does for your ass?" Phil's hand cupped Clint's cheek and his eyes were charged.

"Why don't you tell me all about it? Especially since I was a good boy and didn't tap your teenage ass."

Phil shuddered. "That…I don't know whether to thank you or blame you for the next thirty years of fantasies."

"At least you got the reality. Eventually." Clint frowned as they continued to walk. "Hey, when exactly did you realize who I was? When we first met the second time around?"

Phil gave him a little smile. "I've always known, Clint."


End file.
